The invention relates, in general to machine tools and more particularly to an apparatus for receiving a tool from a tool transferring device.
Modern machine tools possess advanced design features that provide an improved ratio between metal cutting time and total machine cycle time, due to automation which, however, now led to increased cost and reduced flexibility of such machines. This is especially true for the automatic tone changing operation on the normal metal cutting machine tools, that is, on milling machines, boring machines, boring mills, as well as on machining centers, with such terms usually being adapted to define machines capable of performing one or more of the aforementioned operations independently and automatically.
Generally, such metal cutting machine tools are presently provided with their own independent tool magazine having, of difficult accessibility for tool loading and unloading, and in which the tools themselves are located in unsuitable positions for a rapid inspection of the state of their cutting edges.
The time required for transferring the tools from a general magazine to a magazine fixed on the machine tool appreciably affects the machine's work cycle. The time required to transfer the tools from a general magazine to a typical carriage or a conveyor belt, and from the latter to a tool magazine fixed on the machine also appreciably affects the machine work cycle time. Moreover, such tool conveying operations can lead to errors and difficulties due to the different requirements of the individual machines, and the often complex arrangement of the tools in the magazine fixed on the machine, as well as due to an incorrect reading of the tool code number or to an erroneous prediction of the space available for the tool in the magazine.